Improvement in locks for fire-arms



2 sheets-sheen.

A. T. de MOUNGIB. Lock for F ire-Arms.

m). 202,418. Patehred April 16, 1878;

iw/mg A. T.fdeMOUNCIE. Log]: for Fire-Arms.

. 2SheetsSheet-2,

Unrrnn AMEDEE THORNTON DE MOUNCIE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-FOURTH OFHIS RIGHT TO MICHAEL KAUFMANN, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT 1N LOCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202ARS, dated April 16, 1878; application filed November 27, 1877. P

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Baron AMannE THORN- TON .nn Mor'nvorn, of London, 'England,have

inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare the same to be fully, clearly, and exactly described as follows, reference being had to the ,acconr panying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a re" volver embodying my present improvements;

' elevations of the pawl; Fig. 9, aside eleva tion of the trigger. Fig. 10 is "an enlarged view of the lock complete; and Figs. lland 12, respectively, a side elevation and bottom plan of the mainspring.

While in the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a revolving pistol, it-is by no means limited thereto, certain salient features of'the said invention being equally applicable to andvaluable in any variety of percussion fire-arm, as will be readily understood from the following description.

a In the drawings, A represents the main frame of the weapon, provided with studs or pivots for the hammer and trigger, and having a cover-plate, A, hinged at its forward end. The plate A carries a stud, c, which enters a corresponding hole in the main frame when the cover-plate is closed, and is there secured by a'spring-latch, c. also provided with holes, as shown, into which the trigger and hammer pivots enter when the 'plate is closed. In order to open it for access to thelock, the latch on is raised, when a spring, a, causes the cover-plate to fly open.

The cylinder B and barrel 0 are of the ordi nary construction, except that the notches in the former for the latching-detent have a gradually-entering groove, as shown--a construction rendered necessary from the fact that the detent 9 upon the trigger has a positive and gradual upward motion pending the revolution of the cylinder.

Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively,

The plate A isit for the central pivot at f,

The cylinder-pin D (see Figs 3 and 4) is provided with, a side 'spring,'d, at the part which is normally within the cylinder, in order to prevent a too free revolution of the same. The head (1 is slotted, as shown at d", the said slot serving to secure the mainsprin g when it is desired to take the lock .to pieces, as hereinafter described.

The device for retractingtthe exploded cartridge-shells is illustrated in Fig. 1, and consists of a tube, E, which slides freely upon a rod and through a tubular bearing, 0, se. cured to the main frame A,the rod referred to being attached, at c,t-o the barrel 0. The

tube E is provided with a head, e, which normally covers the end of the cylinderrod D, preventing its accidental retraction. Thetube E is slightly flattened on the side which comes next the frame A when the heade is in place over the end of the cylinder-rod, being retained in position by means of the spring 0'.

An arm, b, pivoted to the main frame at b at the rear of the cylinder, and held in place by means of a spring, 1;", serves to prevent the cartridges from falling outof the cylinder, andi when it is thrown back free access is afforded to the cylinder for the insertion or removal of cartridges or retraction of empty shells.

Such is a brief description of the external partsof the-weapon. The 1001;, which forms the gist of my present improvement, will be described more in detail, the parts being taken up scr'iatim.

The hammer nary point for exploding roughened thumb-piece.

F is provided with the ordithe cartridge, and A hole is formed in g and on the rear side of the hammer is formed a bearing, f", for the mainspring. ()n the forward side of the hammer is a projection, f having a notch for engagement with the trigger when the hammer is thrown back, the said projection serving also asa means for effecting the socalled self-cocking of the weapon, as willbe hereinafter set forth. J represents the-cy11nder-pawl, (see Figs. 6, 7 8,) which consists of a flat steel bar countersunk on one side, as

shown atj", and provided with a pivot, j, and lug j. The lower portion or bottom of the countersunk part j consists of two planes, in-

clinedas shown, and meeting in a point, j, forward of the pivot j, the objectof which construction will be presently evident.

The trigger G is of the shape illustrated, and is perforated for the insertion of the pivot. A small lug, g, is formed on the upper surface of the trigger, which enters one of the notches upon the cylinder when the weapon is full-cocked. A projection, 9 perforated at g for the pawl-pivot, has a notch, 9, adapted to engage with the-projection f upon the-harnmeru j The mainspring E consists of two leaves, the one-adapted to-engage at h with the hearing f" upon the hammer, the other constituting at h a safety-stop for the hammer, and

having an arm, h, which subserves the double function of sear-spring and pawl-splin The usual lug h is provided at the junction of the leaves, and is adapted to enter a step in the main frame.

In mg. 10 the parts of the lock are shown in their proper juxtaposition, the hammer resting in its normal position against the safetycatch.

It will be observed that the projection f' upon the hammer occupies a position between the lug j of the pawl and that, g, upon the trigger, fitting snugly between them, The -arm h of the mainspring rests upcnthe rear plane of the countersunk portion of the pawl, and. holds the latter in 4 proper position. Upon cocking the weapon by the thumb of the operator, the hammer causes the trigger to retate about its pivot, carrying with it the pawl, and thereby efiecting the rotation of the cylinder, and at the same time bringing the leaves of the inainsprin g together. Finally, the projectionf upon the hammer falls into the trig gcr-notch y, and the weapon is full-coched.

. Upon retracting the trigger the hammer is released and falls 11 on a cartrid e. The tri ger being nowreleased, the lower leaf of the mainspring falls, 'aml its satiety-stop h engages with the lower part of the hammer, which is thereby lifted clear of the cartridge.

Instead of cockin g. the weapon in the usual manner, it may be used as an ordii'iary serfcocker. The trigger being retracted, pawl is thereby lifted, and its lugj, gaging with the under side of the projection f, raises the hammer until the enga ging parts pass the line joining the pivots, when. the hammer is released I and falls, the safety-stop subsequently slightly-raisin g it, as just described.

t will have been observed that not single screw is used in the lock mechanism, ufi'crd; in g increased facility for I taking the latter apart for cleanin g. I

To remove the parts of the lock, the cylinder-pin D is removed, and, the weapon being full-cocked, the mainspring is clamped in the slot at in the head of the cylinder. The hammer being now allowed to fall, the muinspring may be lifted out, and then, in order, the pawl, trigger, and hammer. To replace them, they are put in position in reverse order.

As hereinbefore stated, my invention is by no means limited to use in revolving firearms. Where a cylinder is not used, of course, a pawl would be a supcrfluity, and as such would be dispensed with, the long leaf of the mainspring being madeto press directly upon the trigger.

Except in revolvers, the self-cocking feature is not desirable, but might be readily supplied by furnishing the triggerwith a swinging link having a lug adapted to engage with the under side of the projection f' upon the hammer.

The salient feature of my invention consists in the rebounding hammer, actuated by the safety-stopupon the mainspring. It afiords absolute security against the accidental discharge of the weapon, since the hammer cannot be made to reach a cartridge without either breaking the mainspring or else fullcocking the weapon and then pulling the trigger. In the former case the fall of the hammer would not be sufficient to explode a cartridge, and the chance of the accidental occurrence of the-latter is too remote to merit consideration.

Aside from the advantage named above,

other and equally important ones flow from the peculiar construction and mutual adaptation of the Working parts.

The lock is readily accessible, easily taken to pieces, consisting of but four parts, and those possessing in the highest degree the desirable attributes of strength, simplicity, durability, and effectiveness.

The mainspring alone subserves the functions of sear-spring, pawl-spring, and safetystop, in addition to its usual function of actuating the hammer, thereby dispensing with parts which have heretoforebeen necessarily delicate and frail, and liable to get out of repair.

Furthermore, the peculiar disposition of the parts of the lock conduces to greatly-increased facility in operating them. 'The pressure of the mainsprin g upon the hammer and trigger is at its maximum at the end of the stroke of the hammer and upon the release of the trigger, the line of thrust of the leaves of the mainspring approaching the pivots of hammer and trigger as the former is raised.

But very slight effort is required to retain the trigger in its retracted position after releasing the hammer, as the leverage of the t igger upon the lower leaf of the mainspringf is then at its maximum, and the line of thrust falls very near the trigger-pivot. Fort-hese reasons the fall of the hammer is utterly unimpeded by the leaf of the mainspring bearin g the safety-catch, which therefore cannot come into gear with the hammer until after its stroke.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States, is-

1. In a fire-arm, a mainspring having two leaves, as described, one of which actuates the descent of the hammer, the other having a safety-stop, which is carried, in the act of cooking the weapon, to a position clear of the hammer in its fall, and operating, when the trigger is released, to raise the hammer clear of the cartridge, and there securely retain it, as set forth.

2. In a, fire-arm, a hammer provided with a tail-piece, in combination with a maiuspring having an ofiser to engage therewith and effeet the rebound and locking of the hammer,

substantially as described.

'3. In a fire-arm, the hammer thereof having a projection or lug engaging with the trigger as the hammer is raised, and thereby compressing the mainsprin g, .which latter is provided with a safety-stop, which engages with the hammer upon the release of the trigger,

substantially as described.

4. In 'a fire-arm, a trigger adapted to efi'ect the self-cockin g of the weapon, in combination with a mainspring provided with a safety-stop,

- which engages with the hammer upon thereilease of the trigger, as set forth.

5. In a revolving fire-arm, and in combination with its main spring, a cylinder-pawl thereby actuated, as described. 6. In a revolving fire-arm, and in combination with its hammer and trigger, a cylinderpawl, constructed as described, and engaging 

